LAST NAME CHANGE of Ex Wife

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? INDIANA

Hello, question is... Is there a way to make the ex wife take her maiden name back. Here is the issue... She isnt keeping it because kids have same last name as her because all three have differant last names.

The problem is my fiance and ex wife have the SAME First name so this could pose as a problem with all kinds of situations and fiance is concerned about about getting the two of them mixed up with any issues ex wife may have etc...

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

venus12277 said:

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? INDIANA

Hello, question is... Is there a way to make the ex wife take her maiden name back. Here is the issue... She isnt keeping it because kids have same last name as her because all three have differant last names.

The problem is my fiance and ex wife have the SAME First name so this could pose as a problem with all kinds of situations and fiance is concerned about about getting the two of them mixed up with any issues ex wife may have etc...

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

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Nope.

You cannot force your ex-wife to change HER name.

To avoid confusion, why don't YOU change YOUR last name to your fiancee's when you get married?

Proserpina said:

Nope.

You cannot force your ex-wife to change HER name.

To avoid confusion, why don't YOU change YOUR last name to your fiancee's when you get married?

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But, but, but....that's so unmanly!!

I shuddered a bit at the OP's post. I told FIVE men, FIVE potential dates to hit the road only because they had the same exact name as the ex...*shudder*. Oh no.

LOL Then either you change your name, or your fiancee does. You can't force your ex to change her name - you gave it to her; you don't get to take it back.

Isis - same here. Once I got divorced, that name was struck off the list of possible suitors. No way in heck would I want to even consider dating (let alone marrying) someone with my ex's name. Still... maybe it makes it easier for OP - he doesn't have to try to remember a new name.

Proserpina said:

Nope.

You cannot force your ex-wife to change HER name.

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Just in case it's not clear:
"No" in many languages

Is the search engine on this site broken? Doesn't anyone bother even trying to look things up any more?

stealth2 said:

Isis - same here. Once I got divorced, that name was struck off the list of possible suitors. No way in heck would I want to even consider dating (let alone marrying) someone with my ex's name. Still... maybe it makes it easier for OP - he doesn't have to try to remember a new name.

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Wow. Seems a little extreme. A rose by any other name and all that.

A guy named "Venus"? Who posted a question about her husband five years ago? Right.

Hi, new wife. No, you can't make the old wife change her name.

stealth2 said:

Isis - same here. Once I got divorced, that name was struck off the list of possible suitors. No way in heck would I want to even consider dating (let alone marrying) someone with my ex's name. Still... maybe it makes it easier for OP - he doesn't have to try to remember a new name.

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When my aunt remarried, her new husband had the same last name as her ex husband. Her, the ex and the kids (hers and his) all shared the same name.

Solves that ever so popular forum question:
I'd like everyone in the house to have the same name so the kids feel like they "belong," or have "a sense of family." (or whatever the excuse is)

CourtClerk said:

When my aunt remarried, her new husband had the same last name as her ex husband. Her, the ex and the kids (hers and his) all shared the same name.

Solves that ever so popular forum question:
I'd like everyone in the house to have the same name so the kids feel like they "belong," or have "a sense of family." (or whatever the excuse is)

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A former co-worker of mine married a man with the same FIRST NAME as her own first name. Pronounced the same but spelled a little different. That was kind of strange.

What if the fiancee doesn't change HER name, therefore avoiding any confusion

I dont know guys, I'm kinda in agreement with OP here. I personally think its kinda selfish (and wierd!) for his EX wife to want to retain the last name of her EX husband simply because otherwise would leave her with a different last name than her children. Lots of parents through divorce have different last names than their children and most of them dont pay it any mind. I have a different last name then lil'bit and it doesnt bother either of us. And Lord knows I would want to remove ANY form of ties to my ex in the event of a divorce. Im wondering if this might have more to do with being a pain to the new fiance rather than with the children?

RRevak said:

I dont know guys, I'm kinda in agreement with OP here. I personally think its kinda selfish (and wierd!) for his EX wife to want to retain the last name of her EX husband simply because otherwise would leave her with a different last name than her children. Lots of parents through divorce have different last names than their children and most of them dont pay it any mind. I have a different last name then lil'bit and it doesnt bother either of us. And Lord knows I would want to remove ANY form of ties to my ex in the event of a divorce. Im wondering if this might have more to do with being a pain to the new fiance rather than with the children?

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It really doesn't matter why she's doing it. Maybe she just doesn't want to deal with the hassle of changing drivers licenses and all of her credit cards and bills or if she's doing it just to be a PIA.

Legally and factually, she is able to keep that name if she wishes and OP can't force her to change. End of story.

The name is the X wife's. Done. Nothing illegal. It's a total pain to change a name. She doesn't have to do anything. If the fiancee doesn't want the same name as the X, she is NOT required to take on the husband-to-be's name. It really is that simple.

really?

well clearly I hope they don't have the same middle name or social security number....so what is the worry about? It should actually make it easier if you get a holiday card addressed to what is meant for you and the former mrs. go over better if you think about it.....that is in jest because lighten up-what can you do about it at this point? Honestly I don't understand why any woman children or not- would want to keep the name of someone they are divorced from---goodness knows that was the first thing I did was take my name back So good luck to you and the new mrs. I hope you get it figured out!

kirbell216 said:

well clearly I hope they don't have the same middle name or social security number....so what is the worry about? It should actually make it easier if you get a holiday card addressed to what is meant for you and the former mrs. go over better if you think about it.....that is in jest because lighten up-what can you do about it at this point? Honestly I don't understand why any woman children or not- would want to keep the name of someone they are divorced from---goodness knows that was the first thing I did was take my name back So good luck to you and the new mrs. I hope you get it figured out!

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Fortunately, you don't make the rules for every other woman in the world.

There are lots of reasons to keep the same name. Just a few:
- changing drivers license is a pain
- changing credit cards is a pain
- changing utility and other bills is a pain
- changing magazine subscriptions is a pain
- friends all know her by the married name
- in some cases, the name before they got married was the first husband's name, so going back to that wouldn't be any better
- children of the marriage usually have the married name
- and about a zillion more reasons.

It's none of your (or anyone else's) business why the woman wants to keep the name. She's allowed to and that should be the end of it.